


Large Double Double?

by wlwmiku



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, basically martin is new and, has 2 close the parlor w jon, i think, slow burn??, weird things still happen!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25323799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wlwmiku/pseuds/wlwmiku
Summary: Jon Sims hates his job at The Magnus.  It barely pays him enough to keep his small apartment in central London, let alone patience for his shitty boss's attitude.  His situation suddenly gets turned upside down, when a new employee joins the ever growing team; Martin Blackwood.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Large Double Double?

Jon never liked opening shifts - they kept him from a rare good sleep and interrupted every dream. He sat up, searching through his pile of blankets for his glasses and slipped out of bed. He starred at himself in the full body mirror not yet hung onto his wall. His long black and greying hair was a mess, his green eyes bloodshot and tired. He was 29 and already a mess. He hated what he saw, a tired young man with not a lot in his life he could call alright. Jon gathered himself, readjusted his t-shirt and headed for the bathroom.

After a quick hot shower, he made himself a cup of tea and got dressed in his uniform. Soft rain beat down on the windows of his fourth story apartment as he placed his empty mug into the sink. He tucked his shirt into his pants and slipped on a heavy green and black tartan coat. Jon locked the door behind him, his watch telling him it was already 6:49AM. He quickly made his way down the stairs and into the rain.

As he unlocked the front doors, he was greeted with the sweet chime of bells above him. It was melodic and welcomed him into the warm parlor, the long hanging lights casting a soft glow in the cafe. He took a deep, long breath and prepared for the day. But something was off. Was there someone else there with him? The air felt different, as if it had been violated by another.

“Boo!” A voice cried out from behind the counter.Jon shook, his hands covering his face.

“Sasha! Don’t _do_ that!” He shot her a look at smiled, shaking his head.Sasha James was his coworker and good friend.They had worked together for a few years now and Jon had always been fond of her, weather it be her kindness or compassion, he did not know.

“Is he dead yet?” Another voice echoed through the café from the back.

“Very funny, Tim.The next thing we need is someone to die in here.Elias would bash our heads in,” Sasha giggled and stepped away from the counter, handing Jon his stained apron and his name tag.“Good morning, Jon.Sleep well?” 

He tied on his apron and smoothed it down, clipping on his tag.“I’m sure you know the answer already,” He readjusted his glasses and headed behind the counter to start brewing, Sasha right behind him.

The clock read 7:09 as Sasha replaced the Closed sign with an Open sign.Soft rain beat against the large parlour windows as Jon cleaned cups and wiped down tables.It was soothing, working in such a place.He served a few people through out the day, wishing them good luck as they returned to the damp cold world.As he was scrubbing his dishes, Jon felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Elias is here.He needs to talk to you in his office.” Tim muttered, leaning against the counter.Never a good sign.Jon sighed.

“Can you finish these for me?”

“Yes boss.” Tim smiled as he slowly walked to the back of the café.His foot steps echoed and the empty shelves only amplified his every move.He raised his hand to knock right as the door opened, Elias Bouchards face only a few inches from his own.

”Hello, Jon,” Elias smiled, his greying hair glinting in the warm overhead lights. “Apologies for the deception but I’d rather like to make sure you’d come. Please,” He opened the door wider, revealing a large office, many stacks of paper, a wooden desk and right in front of that, a man. He was tall, with wavy ginger hair and a pair bright blue eyes behind his glasses. He smiled and waved meekly. “Come in.” Jon took a few apprehensive steps towards the desk.

”I’d like you to meet your new trainee, Martin. I’m sure he’s very eager to start, so I’ll leave you to it.” Elias smiled again and gestured towards the door.

“Thanks again, sir, really appreciate it.”

”Anytime, Martin. Anytime.” 

Jon and Martin stepped out of the menacing office behind them.Distant chimes of the front door opening filled the very uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

“So..” Martin spoke hesitantly, a slight shake in his voice.He pushed up his glasses and continued.“What now?”

“I’m guessing I need to teach you the reigns,” Jon ran his hand through his hair and shuffled towards the front of the store.“Here,” He handed Martin a spare apron.He accepted and put it on with a bit of help.“This is the coffee machine.You fill this thing up with grinds and press this button here, then wait and when it’s done, fill a cup and hand it over the counter.” Jon pointed to the machine, its cover pristine and shiny.

“Simple enough,” Jon raised his eyebrows.

“If it’s so simple, do it.Here comes another customer.” The bells above the door sung a sweet tune as a short, thin woman with long ginger hair opened the door, steam rising from her body as she reached the counter.

“Large black tea and a medium coffee with two cream, please,” She placed five pounds on the counter as Jon leaned against the counter, watching Martin scramble to make her drinks.

“Name?” He asked, preparing two disposable cups.

“Agnes.” Jon nodded and scribbled her name on the cups.Martin poured hot water into one of them, nearly spilling over the sides.

“Bag in?” Jon asked, scratching his cheek absent mindlessly.

“Yes.” 

“Here,” Martin quickly placed the two steamy cups on the counter.“Have a good day!” He smiled at her as she left.Martin heaved a sign and cracked his knuckles.“How do you do this all day?” 

Jon smirked.“You get used to it.Doesn’t get so tiring after awhile.Can you fill up the coffee machine for me?” He tided up the counter as he handed Martin a large coffee pot.“Grinds are under the machine, behind the Elias statue,” He ran a cloth under the warm water and washed down the sink.

“I'm sorry, what?”

“Tim put him in there, it’s a gift.You _can’t_ miss it.” Martin furrowed his brow and grabbed the heavy bag of grinds and heaved them onto the table.He scooped a cup out and placed them into the machine, then put the bag back.

“Are you the new one?” Tim peaked out from above the counter, a pot of coffee in his hand.

“Yeah,” Martin smiled softly and outreached a hand.“Martin Blackwood.” Tim changed hands and shook his.“Tim Stoker.Have fun with Jon,” Jon rolled his eyes.

“I'll put the pot on the heater, give it here,” Jon motioned for Tim to hand him the pot. As he reached for it, a shock of thunder flooded through the parlour and Tim dropped the coffee pot, glass and boiling coffee spilling all over Jon, Martin and the floor. He could feel the sizzling of his skin and he reached for the rag, patting his burns down, the cool water barely giving him any comfort.

” _Fuck_ , Tim!” Jon handed the rag to Martin, whos jeans were now covered in dark stains. “Are you alright?” Tim keeled down and started to pick up the shards of glass.

”Yeah, just a bit of a nasty shock,” Tim poured the broken shards into the large garbage bin. “Sasha! Broom please.” Sasha peeled around the corner, a tray and a broom in her hands.

”Are you two alright? I heard the crash,” She looked at Martin up and down. “Was it the new guy?” Jon shook his head.

”It was me,” Tim said, grabbing the broom from Sasha, carefully swept up the rest of the glass and stood up. “This is Martin.” Martin smiled and wiped his hands on his apron.

”Alright, we ought to get back to work. Call me back if anything happens,” Sasha ran her hand over her ponytail and smirked. “And be _careful!_ Don’t need Elias in a worse mood.”

"Yes _ma'am_." Tim smiled and washed hands. Martin readjusted his apron and scratched his head.

"Back to work, Martin." Jon pulled his hair into a loose bun and gave Martin a half-heartened smile before taking the order of a group of school girls.

* * *

The clock read 8:42PM as Jon swept behind the counter. Sasha and Tim had already gone home, and Basira was out sick, so it left Jon and Martin to close.

"Martin?" Jon looked over the counter. "Are you _reading?_ "

"Hm? Oh!" Martin set down a heavy book on the table in front of him. "Oh my God, I am so sorry," Martin rushed towards Jon.

"Uh huh. Here," He handed him the broom. "Go sweep the rest of the store, I'll go clean the tables." Martin nodded and swiftly walked to the front of the shop and swept as Jon wet a rag and started to wipe down the tables.

"So, how long have you been working here?" Martin wondered aloud, glancing over his shoulder at Jon.

"About two years now, I think?" Martin hummed and nodded, studying his hand under the glow of the hanging lights. A small blister had formed on the base of his thumb, in the shape of an eye. He shook his head and continued sweeping. The clock chimed nine times, indicating it was time to close. Jon threw the rag into the sink and walked to the back, untied his apron, slipped on his coat and waited for Martin to come to the back.

"Martin, come on! I gotta lock up," It was quite. "Martin?" Jon furrowed his brow and crept to the front of the store. Martin stood in front of the large floor to ceiling windows, shaking. Rain ran down the glass harder than ever. Thunder shook Jon to his core as he slowly reached Martin. He stared out the window, and Jon followed his gaze to the alleyway in front of them. A man stood in the rain, his long blond hair plastered to the sides of his face. He lifted a long, spindly hand and waved, a large smile on his face. He opened a door, seemingly from thin air, and stepped inside.

"Martin, are you ok?"

"You saw that too, right?" His voice was trembling.

"We should go home." Martin nodded quickly and let out a shaky breath. They shuffled to the back and he helped Martin remove his apron before letting him outside and locking the doors behind him. "I'll see you Monday. Call me if anything happens." Jon quickly wrote down his cell number on a receipt in his pocket and gave it to Martin, who accepted it with cold hands.

"Goodbye, Jon." Martin said quietly and slowly shambled away, his hair quickly becoming wet from the rain. Jon glanced at him before leaving, back to his apartment to question what he had seen that night.

**Author's Note:**

> this is so ooc i am so so sorry!!! i might make more chapters idk so ill see if u guys r interested in it???


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